So let's hear about "riding the waves". As mentioned above, your instructor will have you paddle out to meet him where the waves originate - this involves navigating some waves on the way out, breaking in your face, as you try to keep from flipping off your board (you are laying on your stomach and paddling with your arms). Once you get out there, he'll help position you, tell you when to paddle, when to push up, and when to stand -- the instructor may even hold the back of your board to steady you a bit as you get going. During our lesson, the waves were about 3 feet high, just about perfect for a first time experience. With waves like this, you won't actually be carving your way along the face of a wave. The little wave will begin to break and form a rolling wall of white water, which is what will push your you and your board along towards the beach. So how did I do? First wave, I pushed up, got on my needs, got my wobbly feet in place.... and stood up, riding the wave all the way until it pooped out, then dropped gracefully back onto my board. No falling, no crashing, I actually did it. In fact, 3 out of 4 of us succeeded and rode the first wave. And all of us were doing pretty well by the 2nd or 3rd wave. We had a few near collisions out there, a few people had to bail off and jump, a few lost balance and tipped over. Twice a local guy even carved right in front of people and made them dump. But overall, everyone in all the groups we watched managed to get up and ride waves. So while that means you probably won't get your money back for failing to surf, you will get to go home and tell your friends that you surfed while in Hawaii. And if you pay an extra $15, you'll get a CD of photos from their photographer who will capture your style with a telephoto lens from shore.
So at the end of the day, we have to say we had a great time. The surfing was a blast, challenging but doable. The instructor was very accomodating and professional (thanks John!), worked with each of us as needed, and pushed those of us who could handle it to try some harder waves. I give Goofy Foot a 9 out of 10, and would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to learn how to surf while in Maui.
How much do surf lessons cost?
Most of these surf schools offer group or private lessons. Group lessons run from $55-$65 per person, which generally gets you 2 hours of instruction. Private lessons are approx. $150 per hour for a 2 hour lesson, $250 for 2 people. Having taken the group lesson and spent a lot of time waiting for my next ride, I would definitely consider coughing up the extra money next time for a private follow-up lesson. You'll certainly be more tired from all the extra paddling, but you'll also get exponentially more practice and coaching that from a group lesson. I guess my advice would be, if you are just doing this one time for a lark while in Maui, sure, save some money and go for the group lesson. But if you actually want to learn how to surf and get the most experience and coaching possible, spend a little extra for the private lesson. For smaller kids under 8, Goofy Foot requires private instruction. One thing to be warned - Goofy Foot doesn't accept credit cards, so plan accordingly for payment. If you decide to try out Maui Wave Riders, one benefit is that they let you continue to use the board and practice after your lesson, assuming they don't need the board. They charge $60 for group lessons, $130 for private (2 hours each), and they also offer the "don't surf/don't pay" guarantee.
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